Dear Editor,

I have been the Constituency MP since 2007 and seeking reelection on 8th June to continue to represent the place I have always called home. As your MP, one of my top priorities was to bring business and councils together to redevelop Aycliffe town centre. I think you will agree that the town centre has been transformed with the arrival of new shops, a library and a facelift we can all be proud of. Over the last 10 years, I have helped thousands of people who came to me in their time of need. From helping parents secure the specialist help their child needed from local health services to assisting an elderly couple get their boiler fixed after they were left for days without heating or hot water in the middle of winter, my staff and I have always been there to help. As your MP, I will always support local people at their time of need.  I will continue to fight to bring investment and jobs to the area. I led the campaign to bring Hitachi Rail Europe to Newton Aycliffe.

I believed in the skills of local people when the Tories, who opposed the plan, didn’t. The factory is now fully operational, providing nearly 1,000 jobs. As your MP, I will continue to work with Hitachi as they bid for contracts to build the high speed trains of the future, creating more jobs for local people. I share local people’s aspirations and ambitions. I want to make sure our children receive a quality education which equips them with the skills they need to get on in life. But the Tories are robbing local schools in Newton Aycliffe of over £1 million in funding and leaving schools with no option but to employ fewer teachers, meaning bigger class sizes.

I have always backed our local schools and have spoken in Parliament about the devastating impact these cuts will have on the quality of our children’s education. As your MP, I will continue to fight against these cuts so our children get the high quality, fully funded education they deserve. I will fight for our NHS. The Tories are starving our NHS of funding causing the services we rely on to crumble. Under the Tories 2.5 million people are having to wait longer to be seen in A&E, cancer patients are having to wait longer for treatment and we all know how difficult it is to get a doctor’s appointment. The NHS is one of Labour’s proudest achievements, but the Conservatives’ failure to invest in the services we all rely on will see Darlington A&E close and strip the hospital of maternity services, forcing emergency patients and expectant mothers to travel even further for care. As your MP, I’ll fight to stop the Tories from closing our hospitals.

The Tory cuts mean Durham police have already lost 350 officers, putting our communities at risk. As your MP, I will continue to work with local residents, the police and Ron Hogg, our Police and Crime Commissioner, to make our communities safer. I listen to the people of our community. That is why I voted to trigger Article 50 in March this year in line with the result of the referendum in this area. Our task now is to secure the best Brexit deal possible for the North East, a deal that doesn’t leave our region behind. Since the result, I have held regular Brexit surgeries to ask what Brexit deal you want.

As your LOCAL MAN – LOCAL VALUES MP, I will continue to consult with you because I don’t back Theresa May, I back you. I will be your voice in Parliament, representing your interests. I always have and always will put local people and local concerns first. The only people I support are you, whilst my Tory opponent is a 23 year-old student from Hull, who has made it clear she is only here to support the Tory leader, not you. Please vote for me on Thursday 8th June, your local man with local values.

Phil Wilson Your Labour Parliamentary Candidate